Sponge for cleaning animal food bowls

ABSTRACT

A sponge having a predetermined shape in the form of an animal paw selected from a group consisting of a cat, dog, monkey, mongoose and ferret and a method of forming a sponge for use as a cleaning aid for at least one of an animal bowl, an animal dish and animal waste.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to and claims priority from Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/720,708 filed Sep. 28, 2005.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to sponges and, more particularly, this invention relates to sponges shaped like an animals paw. Still more specifically, this invention relates to sponges shaped like an animal's paw for use in cleaning an animal food dish.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, as is generally well known in the prior art, sponges have been used to cleans animal bowls. However, these same sponges may then be used to clean dishes used by humans. Even worse, these sponges may have been used to clean up urine from the floor by someone in the household and another person in the household may use them for cleaning the surface of a counter or other area where food is to be prepared not knowing that they had been used for this purpose.

These prior art sponges have generally been shaped either in the form of a rectangular, oval or circular. Obviously, such shape does not indicate to the user that this sponge has been used to clean either an animal bowl or animal urine from a floor surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides, in a first aspect, a sponge having a predetermined shape in a form of an animal paw selected from a group consisting of a cat, dog, monkey, mongoose and ferret.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of forming a sponge to be used as a cleaning aid for at least one of an animal bowl, an animal dish and animal waste. The method includes selecting a shape of an animal's paw to be used in forming said sponge and cutting such sponge into the shape of such animal's paw selected.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a sponge which is readily identifiable as an animal sponge.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an animal sponge which is shaped in the form of an animal's paw to provide ready recognition.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an animal sponge which is relatively inexpensive to produce.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an animal sponge which is easy to use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an animal sponge which can be produced in a variety of colors.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an animal sponge which will significantly enhance the sanitary conditions by minimizing the number of germs encountered in a home.

In addition to the several objects and advantages discussed with some degree of specificity above it should be noted that various other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is view illustrating a sponge shaped in the form of a cat's paw;

FIG. 2 is view illustrating a sponge shaped in the form of a dog's paw;

FIG. 3 is view illustrating a sponge shaped in the form of a monkey's paw;

FIG. 4 is view illustrating a sponge shaped in the form of a mongoose's paw; and

FIG. 5 is view illustrating a sponge shaped in the form of a ferret's paw.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures.

Now refer more particularly to the FIGS. 1-5. Illustrated therein are a variety of sponges, generally designated 10, having a predetermined shape in a form of a preselected animal paw. Preferably, such animal's paw is selected from a group consisting of a cat's paw 12, a dog's paw 14, a monkey's paw 16, mongoose's paw 18 and a ferret's paw 20.

In the presently preferred embodiment of the invention the sponge 10 will have a predetermined color. In the most preferred embodiment such predetermined color will be selected to match a pet's color.

The present invention further provides a method of forming a sponge to be used as a cleaning aid for at least one of an animal bowl (not shown), an animal dish (not shown) and animal waste. Such animal waste at least includes urine, stool and spit up. The method includes the steps of selecting a shape of an animal's paw to be used in forming the sponge and cutting the sponge into such shape of the animal's paw selected. The method also can include the additional step of selecting a color of the sponge to match a color of a pet.

While in accordance with the patent statutes both a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the invention have been described above in such full, clear and concise terms so as to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same it should be obvious that various other modifications and adaptations can be envisioned without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A sponge having a predetermined shape in a form of a preselected animal's paw.
 2. A sponge, according to claim 1, wherein said preselected animal's paw is selected from a group consisting of a cat, dog, monkey, mongoose and ferret.
 3. A sponge, according to claim 1, wherein said sponge has a predetermined color.
 4. A sponge, according to claim 3, wherein said predetermined color is selected to match a pet's color.
 5. A sponge, according to claim 2, wherein said form of said animal paw is a cat's paw.
 6. A sponge, according to claim 2, wherein said form of said animal paw is a dog's paw.
 7. A method of forming a sponge to be used as a cleaning aid for at least one of an animal bowl, an animal dish and animal waste, said method comprising the steps of: (a) selecting a shape of an animal's paw to be used in forming said sponge; and (b) cutting said sponge into said shape of said animal's paw selected in step (a).
 8. A method, according to claim 7, wherein said method includes an additional step of selecting a color of said sponge to match a color of a pet. 